Govt pledge on neutrality `not worth the paper the last Fianna
Fail election manifesto was written on'

Govt pledge on neutrality `not worth the paper the last Fianna F.il
election manifesto was written on'

Sinn Fein has said that last week's [Thursday's] pledge by Foreign
Minister Brian Cowen that Ireland will keep its neutrality and will not
join any Euro Army ``is not worth the paper the last Fianna F.il election
manifesto was written on''.

``I'd like to be able to believe Minister Cowen on this one, but Fianna
F.il and Bertie Ahern promised voters in their last election manifesto
that they would hold a referendum on joining the NATO-linked Partnership
for Peace.

``Then, as soon as it got into power, Fianna F.il dumped its election
pledge and just frog-marched us into the PfP.

``After that experience, how can anyone trust Fianna F.il promises on
neutrality and a Euro Army?''